Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides

Coconut thread blight (167)

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Photo 1. Coconuts growing in the high rainfall interior of Malaita, Solomon Islands, showing early infection of thread blight, Corticium penicillatum, on older leaves, mostly at the ends.

Photo 2. Severe infection of thread blight, Corticium penicillatum, over most leaves of a group of coconuts in a high rainfall area of Malaita, Solomon Islands. Cloud cover is high, as is rainfall, and the coconuts are growing at the bottom of a valley, with a river to the right.

Photo 3. Threads of the fungus Corticium penicillatum along the midrib of a coconut leaf causing rots at the base of the leaflets.

Summary

  • Narrow. Southeast Asia, Oceania. On coconut. Usually, a minor disease. More severe in wet areas of the interior of some Pacific islands.
  • Threads of the fungus in patches on the underside of leaflets of older fronds, often at the ends, causing rots near the mid-rib. 
  • Spread is thought to be by spores; also, by contact between leaflets.
  • Cultural control: avoid shade, or planting in forests; use wide spacing (normal is 7.5x7.5 m) or intercrops; if planting on slopes, make sure they face the morning sun so that leaves dry rapidly; cut out rots and burn.
  • Chemical control: none recommended.

Common Name

Coconut thread blight

Scientific Name

Corticium penicillatum

Photo 4. Extensive damage along the entire leaf of a coconut frond by thread blight, Corticium penicillatum, as seen from the underside.

Photo 5. The central part of this coconut leaf is damaged by thread blight, Corticium penicillatum. The leaflets appear dead near the midrib, but parts beyond this, towards the tips, are still green.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Corticium penicillatum. Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corticium_penicillatum). Photos 3&4 Kohler F, et al. (1997) Diseases of cultivated crops in Pacific Island countries. South Pacific Commission. Pirie Printers Pty Limited, Canberra, Australia.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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